Silly question - how do I get my sink working

[Fletch02]

Hi guys

I know it's probably a daft question but please could you somebody explain how to get our sink working. We've got a 1989 T25 Bilbo conversion and, although we've had it over a year, still haven't got round to using the sink! The sink appears to have a waste pipe that goes through the floor and the tap appears to be connected to some sort of plastic socket, when turning the tap, a motor whirs which, I assume is the pump. What do we need to get it all working, some sort of water container?! Does the waste just drain out of the van? Any help much appreciated!

[weldore]

Yes and yes ...probably

[boxer]

Yes you need a water container or water in the container. Yes it does drain out of the van although you should put a container under there to collect the drain water (depends where you are I suppose but I would always collect it.) or bring it back inside and into another container. At least your pump works off the tap. I was months thinking the click as you turned it on was a dodgy washer till I sussed out someone had ripped the wires out and put another switch in.

[fairwynds]

Hi
excuse late reply, only just read this.
Bilbos (South Godstone, Surrey) used 'Nova Comet' single taps for pumping cold water. they were (originally set up as follows:
1) Sink with Nova tap. Turn the tap and the internal microswitch activated a whale water pump.
2) Whale pump and length of water pipe with attached 12v electric flex attaches to water INLET under exterior sill of van (usually beneath area of petrol cap on offside)
3) Whale pump goes into SEPARATE water container which sits outside van.

Once the water tank is in situ, the hose and electrics are plugged in, and the tap is operational you should have running water. As stated above, the waste water exits the sink plug hole down a vertical drain pipe to a point under the van. You need a waste tank to catch it (unless wild camping and you are just running water, not waste/washing up water etc).

Usual problem with this set up is the Nova tap micro switch burning out, which is then often bypassed using a doorbell push!

Hope this helps (I've just replumbed my Bilbos van, with a new Nova Comet tap )

All the best... J

[stowiethechamp]

Just a thought..... our water pump was very old and a bit manky looking, so for around 40 quid, I bought a non-electric hand-plunger tap from Go Outdoors. Only needed to expand the size of the hole slightly to fit it, and hey presto. No electric needed for running water.

[stucox14]

Hi
excuse late reply, only just read this.
Bilbos (South Godstone, Surrey) used 'Nova Comet' single taps for pumping cold water. they were (originally set up as follows:
1) Sink with Nova tap. Turn the tap and the internal microswitch activated a whale water pump.
2) Whale pump and length of water pipe with attached 12v electric flex attaches to water INLET under exterior sill of van (usually beneath area of petrol cap on offside)
3) Whale pump goes into SEPARATE water container which sits outside van.

Once the water tank is in situ, the hose and electrics are plugged in, and the tap is operational you should have running water. As stated above, the waste water exits the sink plug hole down a vertical drain pipe to a point under the van. You need a waste tank to catch it (unless wild camping and you are just running water, not waste/washing up water etc).

Usual problem with this set up is the Nova tap micro switch burning out, which is then often bypassed using a doorbell push!

Hope this helps (I've just replumbed my Bilbos van, with a new Nova Comet tap )

All the best... J

Hi

I have also have a bilbo's camper and some one has swapped out the old pump and replaced it with a shurflow RV pump that is no longer working.

Couple of questions...... The old chocolate box wiring is still in place but i have no idea what each colour wire is, do you? and do i need it all considering the pump should only have a positive and negative wire?

Also, if i opt for a whale pump mentioned above, is it ok to submerse it in the tank that sits outside the van?

Any help much apreciated

Stu